Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-03-24

natives, with the gourds Of wafer. and Vent
Vogel, We're gathered in a little knot behind
Gentlemen" said Sir Henry. presently,
| In his low. deep voice, I'VE are poiuq on
about as strange journey as men can make
in this world. 1t is very doubtful if we can
| succeed in it. But we are three men who
will stand together for good or for evil to
the last. And now before we start let Us for
moment pray to the Power who shapes
the destinies of men. and who ages since has
marked out our paths, that it may please
Him to direct our steps in accordance with
His WILL
Taking off his hat he, for1the space of a
| minute or SO, covered his face wath his hands.
and Good and l did likewise.
do not say that I am firstrate praying
man, few hunters are, and as fo, Sir Henry
never heard him speak like that before,
and only once since, though deep down in
his heart | believe he is very religious.
Good, too, is pious, though very apt to swear.
Anyhow do not think | ever, excepting Oh
one single occasion, put in better prayer in
my life than l did during that minute, and
somehow [ felt the happier for it. Our fut
ure was SO completely unknown, and ]
think the unknown and the awful always
bring man nearer to his Maker.
"And now,'' said Sir Henry, "trek."
SO we started
We saw nothing to guide us by except the
distant mountains and old Jose da Silvestra's
chart, which, considering that it was drawn
by dying and half distraught man on 9
fragment Of linen three centuries ago, was
not q very satisfactory sort of thing to
work on. Still, such as 1t was, our sole hope
of success depended on it. Ii we failed in
finding that pool of bad water which the old
don marked as being situated in the middle
OF the desert about sixty miles from our
starting point, and as far from the noun
tains, we must in all probability perish mis-
erably of thirst And to my mind the chan
ces of finding it in that great sea of sand and
karOo scrub seemed almost infinitesimal.
Even suppOSing Da Silyestra had marked il
right what was there to prevent its having
been generations ago dried up by the sun, OF
trampeled in by game, or filled with the
drifting sand?
On we tramped silently as shades through
the night and in the heavy sand. The karuo
bushes caught our shins and retarded us, and
the sand got into our veldtschoons and
Goods shooting-boOts, SO that every few
miles we had to stop and empty them, but
still the night was fairly cool, though the
atmosphere was thick and heavy, giving
sort OF creamy feel to the air, and we made
fair progress. 1t was very still and lonely
there i'll the DESERT oppressively so indeed.
Good felt this and at once began to whistle
the Girl left behind me-" but the notes
sounded lugubrious in that vast place, and
he gave it up. Shortly afterward q little in
cident occurred which, though it made us
jump at the time, gave rise to laugh. Good
as the holder of the CO pass which, being
sailor, of course he thoroughly understood.
was leading, and we were toiling along in
single file behind him, when suddenly we
heard the sound of an exclamation. and he
vanished. Next second there arose all around
us q most extraordinary hubbub, snorts,
grOans, wild sounds Of rushing feet In the
faint light too we could descry dim gallop-
ing forms half hidden by wreaths Of sand
The natives threw down their loads and pre-
pared to bolt, cast themselves on the
ground and howled out that it was the devil
AS for Sir Henry and myself we stood
amazed: nor was our amazement IeSsened
when we perceived the form OF Good career
ing off III the direction of the mountains, ap-
parently mounted on the back of a horse and
hallOaing like mad. In another second he
threw up his arms, and we heard him
come to the earth with thud. Then [ saw
what had happened; we had stumbled right
OH to herd OF sleeping quagga, on to the
back of one of which Good had actually fall
len, and the brute had naturally enough got
up and made off with him. Singing out to
the others that it was all right [ ran toward
Good, much afraid lest he should be hurt,
but to my great relief found him sitting in
the sand, his eyeglass still fixed firmly in his
eye, rather shaken and very much startled,
but not in any way injured.
After this we travelled on without any
further misadventure till after one O'Clock.
when we called halt, and having drank q
little water, not much, for water was pre-
ciOus, and rested for half ap our, started on
again.
On, on we went. till at last the east began
to blush like The cheek of girl Then there
came faint rays of primrose light, that
changed presently to golden bars, through
which the dawn glided cut across the desert. |
The stars grew pale and paler STILL till at
last they vanished; the golden moon waXed
wan, and her mountain ridges stood out
clear against the sickly face like the bones
Oh the face Of dying man; then came spea1
upon spear OF glorious light flashing far
away across the boundless wilderness, pierre
ing and firing the wells Of mist till the des-
ert was draped in tremulous golden glow, !
and it was day.
To be Concluded.